Governor John Carney and the Delaware Division of Small Business announced more than $7.7 million in funding awards to seven organizations as part of the recovery effort for the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation industries. The funds are part of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) American Rescue Plan Travel, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation program, which provided grants to advance the economic recovery and resiliency of communities where the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation industries were hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Of that funding, $1 million was awarded to the Delaware Arts Alliance for the following:
- To produce an interactive, publicly available map of Delaware’s creative economy
- To perform an economic impact study
- To create comprehensive recovery plans for Delaware statewide and in select Opportunity Zones
The Delaware Arts Alliance is committed to investing in Delaware’s arts, culture and creative economy. Through it, the wider travel and tourism sector will recover quicker and become more resilient. We are ready to build on the work underway and act on this opportunity to think beyond COVID-19 recovery and look at how to grow and sustain a locally-produced sector, including both for-profit and nonprofit arts and culture organizations. This is because the creative economy is poised to recover from the pandemic. Though to do so, we will need a clear roadmap for the policy changes and investments needed as a sector.
Updates
Research Partner Selected
At the conclusion of 2023, following a public request for proposals, Delaware Arts Alliance contracted with Sound Diplomacy, an organization with subject-area expertise that will serve as the primarily partner for managing the data collection, analysis, and content development of the plan.
Lt. Governor’s All-Hands Arts Call Presentation
On February 9th, 2023, DAA Executive Director Neil Kirschling led a presentation and discussion featuring Shain Shapiro, Founder and Executive Chairman of Sound Diplomacy, with attendees of Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long’s All-Hands monthly call for the Delaware arts community.
- See slides here
- View recording here (passcode V#G@8VDZ)
Information Request
Throughout March 2023, DAA and Sound Diplomacy seek information on a number of topics we want to assess as part of Delaware’s “Creative Economy and Cultural Tourism Recovery and Growth Plan”. For the report to be as exhaustive as possible, it would be helpful to receive any and all regulatory and policy frameworks which impact the creative economy, inclusive of music, art, theater, dance, museums, performing arts and other cultural tourism. This could include strategic plans, research studies, reports, articles, or other types of information that helps us understand the current landscape in Delaware.
- See here for detail on the Regulator Information Request
- Please submit documents to Jairo at jairo@sounddiplomacy.com
Arts and Culture Caucus Presentation
On March 14th, 2023 from 11am-12pm in Legislative Hall and on Zoom, Senator Elizabeth Lockman and Representative Bryan Shupe invite legislators, staff, and the public to attend the first 2023 meeting of the Delaware Arts and Culture Caucus. Join us to learn about Delaware’s “Creative Economy and Cultural Tourism Recovery and Growth Plan,” the first of its kind in the nation.
| CLICK HERE to send an invitation email to your legislator so that they hear from constituents that their attendance is valued! CLICK HERE to register on Zoom |